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His PRspective: Fashion PR at Harper’s Bazaar & Bollare

Fashion PR is a profession overrun by women, and we tend to claim the whole field as ours, even via hashtags like #PRGirl. The PR Guys deserve love, too. They work just as hard and have their share of #PRGuyProblems. What is it really like to work in Fashion PR as a guy, especially being surrounded by women at all times? We sat down with two PR guys working in the field to get their take on it.

Tell us your name and company.

Gregory Russell: Intern at Harper’s Bazaar

What is it like being in an office full of women?

I love it actually! I’m kind of a feminist. I’m completely behind any woman/women in power. The women I work with and have worked with in the past in fashion have such style, class and fresh ideas that really inspire me to do better in this industry as well as life in general.

Do you get special or different treatment? How so?

I do not get any special or different treatment at all. It has nothing to do with me being an intern, it’s really just all about everyone being in this industry together reaching for whatever goal they have set for themselves.

New York is a tough place compared to LA in terms of the fashion markets so the climb is much more difficult and no one is handing out a map to success. You’ve got to push yourself and fight for what you want.

What advantages do you think there are to working as a guy in Fashion PR?

Working as a guy in fashion PR the perks would be being surrounded by all kinds of beautiful, talented women like Danika Daly! That was such an incredible internship working on New York Fashion Week with her and her clients. Some of my best friends I’ve made have been women I’ve worked with in fashion PR. Also, if there are gifting bags with men’s items in there, I tend to snatch those up pretty quickly!

Do you automatically get placed on menswear projects?

No thank God! For me, I find menswear to be way too boring. I want to be hands on with as much womenswear as possible. This goes back to my childhood and growing up playing in my mother and sisters closets wanting to dress them in what I wanted and how I wanted…I’m obviously a straight man.

Please share any interesting stories or happenings you’ve experienced as a guy in Fashion PR.

I was on set with a high profiled female celebrity for a shoot a few years back in LA and it was really my first assistant job besides interning. I walk into the dressing room and this celebrity is completely topless and I had to dress her for the next look. I was shaking with terror! I didn’t want to do anything wrong or look at anything I wasn’t supposed to. So I’m putting on her Christian Louboutin’s and I pinch her foot! She screamed and hits my head in reaction. I was in a nightmare, for 5 seconds I was just wishing that didn’t just happen. Immediately this woman starts laughing and joking with me (while she’s still topless) for the rest of the 12 hour shoot. To this day whenever I’m on set for something I let someone else put on the shoes, I will never forget how terrified I was.

Do you have any tips you would like to share with aspiring Fashion PR Guys out there?

INTERN, INTERN, INTERN! Network and meet as many people as possible. So far, the key to my success is really just being nice to people. Always thank them and show your gratitude. Finally, attend Fashion PR Con with Crosby Noricks and Danika Daly of Danika Daly PR. That workshop was the best money I think I’ve ever spent (besides my Saint Laurent bag) and it taught me so many things about the world of Fashion PR that you can’t learn in a college or high school classroom.

Tell us your name and company.

My name is Zack Tanck, and I am a part of the Digital and Editorial Fashion Teams at Bollare in Los Angeles.

What is it like being in an office full of women?

Funny enough, I love it! I have worked primarily with women for the majority of my career, and enjoy the working dynamic that me and my female coworkers share. Our varied perspectives lead to super creative brainstorming sessions that benefit our clients and brand partners.

Do you get special or different treatment? How so?

Actually, no! The great thing about Bollare is that we are one big team among the three offices (West Hollywood, New York and London) and it’s fantastic how each and every member is so valuable.

What advantages do you think there are to working as a guy in Fashion PR?

As I mentioned prior, whether a coworker or a client, having a guy’s perspective can provide insight in a different, worthwhile way.

Do you automatically get placed on menswear projects?

You would think that, right? But I don’t, and that’s fine by me! My background is in women’s apparel and swimwear, which I have worked very hard to cultivate relationships with editors, stylists and bloggers over the years in this specific niche of expertise. As much as I love menswear on a personal level – I have a style blog on the side that showcases my artistic and creative vision – when it comes to work, I am focused on the ladies.

Please share any interesting stories or happenings you’ve experienced as a guy in Fashion PR.

Well, let’s just say that when our VIP team is curious about how a newly arrived sample of a certain jacket or pair of pants fits from one of our menswear clients,

I have been asked to be a fit model on more than one occasion! Not that I mind… trying on a jacket that may be sent to Ryan Gosling or Pharrell is pretty rad.

Do you have any tips you would like to share with aspiring Fashion PR Guys out there?

My first tip is to embrace starting the journey, and don’t be intimidated or bashful about starting at the bottom – we’ve all been there! I began my career in PR as an assistant and worked my way up, keeping my eyes and ears open to everything and absorbing as much as I could. Also, don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions!

My second tip is to read, read, read! As much as you can, on everything relating to the field, from style blogs (like my favorites from my homies Song of Style, The Haute Pursuit, Fashion or Famine and Scout Sixteen) to magazines (personal favorites are W and Harper’s Bazaar) and trade publications.

Lastly, social media is so important for discovering what’s new – from potential clients to whom is wearing what. Keeping up on various channels (my favorite is Instagram) is a must.

About This Author

Danika Daly is the founder of Danika Daly PR, a boutique PR firm in New York City specializing in contemporary fashion and beauty brands. Danika does everything in a bright, bold fashion, with creative flair and no trace of the ordinary. Danika coaches many brands and aspiring publicists, and has a love for sharing knowledge. She has done so as a writer for various sites such as PR Couture, Fashion Indie, and The Fabulous Report.